Pranks
by two
Summary: You ever wonder what it's like to be a cop in Salem Center, its probable eventful. R


Summery: You ever wonder what it's like to be a cop in Salem Center, its probable eventful. Comments: This is set in the good old day of original X-men. Disclaimer: If I owned them you wouldn't be reading this for free. They belong to Marvel.  
  
Pranks  
  
Jake was looking forward to a long and boring career. That's why he chose this job, which was an odd goal for a cop. But Jake wanted to be a cop and not get shot at; he'd enough of that in the army. He deliberately choose the small upstate New York community because of its older population. The age factor contributed greatly to the low crime rate. Hell most people in town didn't even speed. And that was exactly what Jake wanted. The plan was to meet a nice women, get married, have a family, have a good life, and die of boredom. It was a good plan. The town fit the plan.  
  
He had already been on the job a week and tonight was his first night shift as a Salem Center patrolman. Nights were just like days, drive around and waste gas. He could probably get away with a nap later in the night. But Jake was still at the point were he was excited about his job, so he stayed awake. He weaved his patrol car slowly through the streets with only the streetlights for company. The night was unfolding as uneventful as he had hopped his life would.  
  
Jake slowly maneuvered the sleek car through town to restart his rout. The dark steel of the water tower marred his view of the downtown; it stood sentinel over the square like a giant four-legged spider. He cast the monstrosity no more then a momentary glance as he circled around to the empty village core. He looked up in his mirror as he drove away and spotted two shadows clutching to the ladder.  
  
Turning off his lights he pulled around next to a dark sedan parked near to the chain-link fence that encircled the tower. Studying the shadows he made out two figures. The first was as big as Jake, the second was smaller, about the size of kid in his early teens. Jake watched as they descended the ladder and wondered what message they had sprayed painted on the tower. He rolled down his window and waited.  
  
"Oh Robert, what are we going to do with you," the tone was exasperated.  
  
"The Prof. is going to kill me," this voice sounded younger and more scared then the first, it probably belonged to the smaller one.  
  
"I doubt it will come to that, but he will be upset with you." The language and the depth of the voice seemed to be to old to belong to a kid.  
  
"That is if he finds out," the voice was filled with mischievous hope. The pair had finished their decent and now was making their way across the lawn that stretched out under the tower, towards the fence that had proved its uselessness.  
  
"Robert it has always been my policy to never lie and I encourage you to do the same." Jake had decided that he had heard enough and he did not want them to make it to their getaway vehicle. He watched them climb the fence.  
  
So caught up in their discussion of the one called Robert's impending doom that they failed to notice the interior light of Jake's car come on as he got out.  
  
"Hello boys," the two would-be criminals froze. The small one was still clinging to the fence, the big one turned around slowly. "Nice night for a stroll don't you think?" The little one cautiously climbed down the fence and he directed the pair to his patrol car and deposited them into the back seat.  
  
The light in the car gave Jake his first real look at the pair. The small boy was a scrawny kid of about fourteen or fifteen; the other was a bit older and was built like a quarterback even though he didn't talk like a jock. They made an unlikely pair.  
  
"So," pausing to give them both a good look. "What were you two up to this evening?" They stole a glance at each other and looked at their shoes, loyalty in the face of the enemy. So much for always telling the truth.  
  
Jake shined his big search light on the tower to get a better look at the damage the two had caused, but couldn't find any. Making sure the two comrades were secure in the car he scaled the fence for a closer look. Still finding nothing, he began to ascend the ladder. As he neared the top the ladder felt extremely cold, the nearer the reservoir he got the colder it got until he could go no further and had to retreat. In his retreat he tried to puzzle out why it was so cold at the top and how the kids were involved.  
  
Jake drove the pair to the police station, he wanted to know what was going on and he figured that a little trip to the station would loosen their tongues. He hauled them out of the back seat ruffly and into a squat brick building. He deposited them in a row of hard wooden chairs that were designed to be uncomfortable. Without a word to them he went to talk to the dispatcher and find out who was to be called when there was something wrong with a water tower. The person he wanted turned out to be the city maintenance inspector.  
  
Jake spent the next forty-five minutes getting a jumpstart on his paperwork as the boys sat there. Finally the phone rang and was picked up by the dispatcher. She handed it to Jake and a long conversation ensued, with Jake periodically looking over at the two criminals. He returned to the boys more angry then before.  
  
"Are you two ready to talk now?" silence. Jake gave the older boy a long look. "What are you names?" For a moment the pair remained mute. Finally the older boy looked up at him.  
  
"My name is Henry McCoy and my coconspirator is Robert Drake. We are the charges of Professor Charles Xavier of Xavier's School for Talented Youth. The school phone number is 555-9636." Jake left the pair. The younger boy whisper at his friend about his impending death. He decided that he would let the prep school call their parents and explain how their kids got out and into trouble.  
  
After what the boys thought was an eternity an older man entered the police station in a wheelchair being pushed by a red hared girl on the cusp of womanhood. Even though it was the middle of the night he was immaculately groomed in a neatly pressed suit. This was the mysterious Professor Xavier that had filled the boys with so much dread. The girl stole a glance at her two classmates.  
  
With his hands calmly folded in his lap, the professor listened to Jake's account of events. When he finished the tale the Professor rubbed his temples shook his head. He looked over to his two students and they promptly took an interest in the floor tiles.  
  
"Henry," he wheeled over to the two boys. "I expected better of you," the big boy slunk down into his chair and tried to disappear into it.  
  
"The only thing that we can't figure out is how they froze the water." Jake eyed the two.  
  
"That is a very good question," he looked sternly at his two charges. "I don't suppose that either of you have an answer for that?" Both boys remained mute and stared at the floor. "What charges are being laid, officer?" the Professor asked turning his attention back to Jake.  
  
"For sure trespassing and mischief, and I'm thinking about adding vandalism." Jake made sure that he spoke loud enough for the boys to hear what he said. "But before I charge them with anything I have to discuss it with the Sheriff," he added with a quieter tone.  
  
"I assume he will not be in until morning?" the Professor had a slight smile on his face.  
  
"No, no he wont."  
  
"I guess that means a night in jail?" The two boys jerked their head up at that and their eyes got wider.  
  
"It could," Jake was playing along but he would just as soon let them go. "Unless some one could take them into to custody for the night and ensure that they be back hear tomorrow morning for a little chat with the Sheriff."  
  
"And what time will the Sheriff will be in?" the question was asked in a tone that suggested that he already new the answer but was asking for the benefit of others, others that needed to know at what time to be up in the morning.  
  
"Sheriff Conner gets in at 9 am sharp."  
  
"Good, if there is nothing more? Jean take these two to the car. Goodnight Officer."  
  
"Goodnight Sir," and with that the police station was empty again. After typing up a report on the events of the night Jake returned to his rounds. 


End file.
